Kirby Five-Oh! by TwoMorrows Publishing

& s. TM ic an om rm DC C e p Su 2008 ©

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KIRBY FIVE-OH!

Edited by John Morrow Book design by John Morrow Proofreading by John Morrow and Adam McGovern Front cover inks/colors by Darwyn Cooke

Celebrating 50 Years Of The “King” Of Comics

Published by TwoMorrows Publishing 10407 Bedfordtown Drive Raleigh, North Carolina 27614 web: www.twomorrows.com • e-mail: twomorrow@aol.com ISBN-13: 978-1-893905-89-4 • ISBN-10: 1-893905-89-6 First Printing • April 2008 • Printed in Canada ©2008 TwoMorrows Publishing. All rights reserved.

Dedicated to Dave Stevens, who passed away during the production of this book; a great artist, a great Kirby fan, and a great guy. (left) A 1969 lobby poster illustration for a college stage production of Julius Ceasar. See page 100 for Kirby’s full-color costume designs for the play. ©2008 Jack Kirby Estate.

The editor would like to thank the following 50 people who’ve helped immensely with The Jack Kirby Collector since 1994: Mark Alexander Jerry Boyd Robert L. Bryant, Jr. Jon Cooke Jean Depelley Paul Doolittle Mark Evanier Chris Fama Shane Foley David Folkman

George Khoury Lisa Kirby Roz Kirby Sean Kleefeld Peter Koch Richard Kolkman Richard Kyle Marty Lasick Adam McGovern Mark Miller

Barry Forshaw Mike Gartland Russ Garwood Glen Gold David Hamilton Chrissie Harper Charles Hatfield Rand Hoppe Richard Howell Frank Johnson

John Modica Glen Musial Chris Ng Eric Nolen-Weathington Marc Pacella Steve Robertson Mike Royer David Schwartz Steve Sherman Joe Sinnott

Ed Stelli Jim Steranko Greg Theakston Mike Thibodeaux Kirk Tilander Douglas Toole Pat Varker R.J. Vitone Ray Wyman, Jr. Tom Ziuko

And the artists who’ve collaborated with Jack Kirby on our covers for 50 issues: Neal Adams Dan Adkins Mike Allred Murphy Anderson Terry Austin Dick Ayers Steve Bissette Bill Black John Byrne Georgio Comolo Darwyn Cooke

Kevin Nowlan Jerry Ordway Reedman David Roach Marshall Rogers Alex Ross Mike Royer Joe Rubinstein Steve Rude P. Craig Russell Randy Sargent

Shane Foley Dick Giordano Al Gordon Alex Horley Richard Howell Klaus Janson Karl Kesel Ladronn Erik Larsen Mike Mignola Frank Miller

Mark Schultz Tom Scioli John Severin Walter Simonson Joe Sinnott Paul Smith Ken Steacy Jim Steranko Dave Stevens Ernie Stiner Chic Stone

Mike Thibodeaux Bruce Timm Alex Toth Trevor Von Eeden Matt Wagner Bob Wiacek Al Williamson Barry Windsor-Smith Ray Zone

And the contributors to this book: Neal Adams Mike Allred Jim Amash Jean-Marie Arnon Dick Ayers Gregg Bendian Jerry Boyd Tom Brevoort Frank Brunner Mike Burkey Len Callo Joe Casey Michael Chabon Daniel Clowes Gene Colan Darwyn Cooke Jon Cooke Jean Depelley

Junot Diaz John Dolmayan Shel Dorf Ryan Dunlavey Steve Englehart Michael Eury Mark Evanier Chris Fama Al Feldstein Danny Fingeroth John Fleskes Shane Foley David Folkman Barry Forshaw Scott Fresina Mike Gartland Michael T. Gilbert Glen David Gold

Matt Groening Geoff Grogan Chrissie Harper Dean Haspiel Charles Hatfield Russ Heath Heritage Comics Lee Hester Rand Hoppe Carmine Infantino Jack Kirby Estate Jack Kirby Museum Lisa Kirby Neal Kirby Sean Kleefeld Richard Kolkman Richard Kyle Erik Larsen

Paolo Leandri Stan Lee Mark Lewis Reed Man Dwayne McDuffie Adam McGovern Bob McLeod Harry Mendryk Mike Mignola Bill Morrison Grant Morrison Qui Nguyen Leo Ortolani Stefano Pavan George Pérez Bud Plant Stefano Priarone Dom Regan

Byron Roberts Steve Robertson John Romita, Jr. John Romita, Sr. Alex Ross Mike Royer Steve Rude Paul Sager Bill Schelly Mark Schultz Arlen Schumer David Schwartz Tom Scioli Marie Severin Steve Sherman David Siegel Joe Simon Gail Simone

Walter Simonson Joe Sinnott Brent Staples Jim Starlin Jim Steranko Dave Stevens Greg Theakston Mike Thibodeaux Roy Thomas Bruce Timm Jim Vadeboncouer, Jr. James Van Hise Fred Van Lente Rick Veitch R.J. Vitone Marv Wolfman Ray Wyman Tom Ziuko

A huge thanks to all of you, and to all our other contributors over the years! COPYRIGHTS: Batman, Beautiful Dreamer, Big Barda, Boy Commandos, Brooklyn, Challengers of the Unknown, Darkseid, Demon, Desaad, Dingbats of Danger Street, Dr. Fate, Female Furies, Firestorm, Flash, Forever People, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Guardian, Hawkman, Highfather, Hunger Dogs, In The Days Of The Mob, Jimmy Olsen, Justice League, Kalibak, Kamandi, Klarion, Knockout, Kobra, Lightray, Losers, Manhunter, Mark Moonrider, Martian Manhunter, Metron, Mister Miracle, New Gods, Newsboy Legion, Oberon, OMAC, Orion, Red Tornado, Robin, Sandman, Sandy, Scrapper, Super Powers, Superman, Toxl, Wonder Woman TM & ©2008 DC Comics • Agent 13, Ant-Man, Avengers, Baron Zemo, Black Bolt, Black Knight, Black Panther, Blastaar, Bucky, Captain America, Crusader, Crystal, Daredevil, Devil Dinosaur, Doombots, Dr. Doom, Dr. Strange, Dum-Dum Dugan, Ego, Eternals, Falcon, Fantastic Four, Forbush Man, Galactus, Giant-Man, Giganto, Gorgon, Hawkeye, Hercules, Him, Hulk, Ikaris, Impossible Man, Inhumans, Invincible Man, Iron Man, Jemiah, Kaa, Kang, Karnak, Ka-Zar, Machine Man, Magneto, Marvel Girl, Medusa, Nick Fury, Odin, Prester John, Princess Zanda, Quicksilver, Rama-Tut, Red Skull, Ruler of Earth, Scarlet Witch, Sentry, Sgt. Fury, Silver Surfer, Skrulls, Spider-Man, Sub-Mariner, Thing, Thor, Triton, Ulik, Uni-Mind, Vision, Watcher, Wyatt Wingfoot, X-Men, Yellowjacket, ZZutak TM & ©2008 Marvel Characters, Inc. • Black Magic, Boy Explorers, Bullseye, Fighting America, Foxhole, Race For The Moon, Stuntman, Young Romance TM & ©2008 Joe Simon and Jack Kirby Estate • “Julius Ceasar” characters, “When It Is Spring”, Astrals, Black Sphinx, Black Tiger, Bombast, Captain Glory , Captain Victory, Death Fingers, Galactic Bounty Hunters, Galaxy Green, Garm, Goozlebobber, NFL Pro art, Night Glider, Pharaoh, Satan’s Six, Silver Star, Starman Zero, Street Code, Surf Hunger, The Ape, The Horde, Tribes Trilogy TM & ©2008 Jack Kirby Estate • 2001: A Space Odyssey TM & ©2008 Turner Entertainment • Airboy, Lord of Light TM & ©2008 the respective owner • Badge TM & ©2008 Big Bang Comics • Captain Justice TM & ©2008 Vampire Cowboys Inc. • Colossus TM & ©2008 Geoff Grogan • Destroyer Duck TM & ©2008 Steve Gerber and Jack Kirby Estate • Godland TM & ©2008 Joe Casey and Tom Scioli • Janus, Roxie’s Raiders, Thundarr TM & ©2008 Ruby Spears Productions • Madman TM & ©2008 Mike Allred • Nightworld, Idoru Jones TM & ©2008 Paolo Leandri and Adam McGovern • Quitter TM & ©2008 Harvey Pekar and Dean Haspiel • All characters are trademarks of their respective companies. • All artwork is ©2008 Jack Kirby Estate unless otherwise noted. • All editorial matter is ©2008 the respective authors.

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PREFACE (by editor John Morrow) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 FOREWORD (by Mark Evanier) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 INTRODUCTION (by Glen David Gold) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 50 BEST KIRBY STORIES (by John Morrow and a variety of Kirby experts) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 50 BEST KIRBY COVERS (assembled by Jerry Boyd, as chosen by a galaxy of superstars) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 50 BEST EXAMPLES OF UNUSED KIRBY ART (by Shane Foley, Adam McGovern, and John Morrow) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 50-PAGE KIRBY ART GALLERY (by Jack Kirby—who else?) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 COLOR GALLERY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 50 BEST KIRBY CHARACTER DESIGNS (by Sean Kleefeld) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 50 PEOPLE INFLUENCED BY JACK KIRBY (by Adam McGovern) . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 AFTERWORD (by editor John Morrow) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

STOP! This Book contains

Kirby’s FIFTY Best of Everything! Can yo u handle it?!

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by John Morrow, editor of The Jack Kirby Collector magazine he picture at left was taken by me, at my one and only meeting with Jack Kirby in 1991. We only spoke for a few minutes, but thankfully I had the wherewithal to snap a shot to preserve the moment. He was gracious and polite, just like I’d always heard he was to his fans, and at the moment I had no idea how that brief encounter would eventually change my life, and lead me to create this magazine about him. Yes, you read correctly; contrary to appearances, what you hold in your hands is a magazine, not a book. It may look like a book, feel like a book, quack like a book... but at its core, it’s a magazine—issue #50 of The Jack Kirby Collector magazine, to be exact. I’ve been producing TJKC since 1994, and after producing the first thirty issues at standard Time magazine-size, I felt like the biggest imagination in the history of comic books should have the biggest magazine in the history of comics books, so I bumped it up to an 80-page tabloid-size monster with card stock covers. Now, to celebrate reaching the half-hundred mark, I figured it was time to take it the next step, and do one as a bona fide tabloid-size book, and title it Kirby Five-Oh! (a name that hit me as the Hawaii Five-O theme song inexplicably ran through my head). Since Jack was in comics for 50 years, it just seemed right. But make no mistake; there were 49 issues before this book, and #51 will appear a few months after this one is published, with many more to come— including Kirby One-Oh-Oh! a couple of decades from now, if I live that long. As I’ve watched the last fourteen years pass working on each new issue, I’d routinely make a game of sorts in thinking to myself, “What was Jack Kirby working on when he was my age?” Comparing his relative successes and failures at that age to my own, and thinking about what he still had ahead of him related to my own life, was sometimes a bit depressing in comparison—hey, I seriously doubt anything I create will be breaking box office records some day—but it’s a fun exercise nonetheless. I’m 45 years old as I write this, and my wondering what age 50 will be like was where much of the inspiration for this book came from. See, when Jack was 50 years old (he was born in 1917, so that would’ve been 1967 by my count), he’d just completed arguably the most prolific (and successful) creative period of his career, ushering in the Marvel Universe with Stan Lee. He co-created a score of characters that are now household names thanks to Hollywood, from the Fantastic Four and Hulk, to the X-Men, Silver Surfer, and Iron Man (with more certain to come). But at the half-century mark, he was getting more and more disgruntled about his treatment and lack of recognition (and compensation) at Marvel, the company he helped save from the brink of closing in the late 1950s. It’s reassuring to me that, though he pretty much bided his time in the latter 1960s (refusing to offer any more really lasting concepts to Marvel), he went on in the 1970s to produce my favorite Kirby work: the Fourth World, at DC Comics. Hey, there is hope after 50! Kirby at the 1939 World’s Fair, age 22. Note the bandaged hand, probably from a street fight. After five-oh issues of TJKC, I’m optimistic about what the future holds for both my magPhoto courtesy & ©2008 Jack Kirby Estate. azine and me. And I figured, what better time to reflect on the past accomplishments in Kirby fandom than this book, which is a love-fest of TJKC contributors? So I rounded up the mag’s regular columnists and formed a panel of Kirby experts to pick the fifty best of everything Kirby, and then tracked down some contributors whose names will be familiar to readers who’ve been with us since those primeval days of 1994 when I used to hand-xerox this publication. Why use an illo of Superman as the cover art of this book, you may be asking? After all, Jack didn’t draw the character on many occasions, and when he did most prolifically (on Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen in the early 1970s), the management at DC Comics had other artists redraw the character’s head to match the company’s generic house style. But like Jack, Supes was there at the beginning of comic books (although Jack didn’t get a chance to work on the character until much later in his career). And this drawing is one Jack did for his daughter Lisa Kirby, who had graciously loaned it to me for use in my magazine. I’ve been saving it for just the right opportunity, and this seemed perfect. Seeing how Darwyn Cooke, one of the current keepers of the Kirby stylistic flame, spiffed it up, I think you’ll agree it was a great choice. So, after fifty issues, what’s left to learn about Jack? Hopefully a lot, but if nothing else, this book should serve as a refresher course for semi-jaded Kirby fans who’ve been with me since issue #1, and think they’ve seen it all. I know, in doing research for this volume, that I ran across a lot of art and anecdotes I’d long since forgotten about “King” Kirby, and it was a blast to re-experience them! Hopefully it will be for current TJKC readers too, and a real eye-opener for anyone out there who’s just discovering this magazine, and the “King” of comics. This book isn’t here to tell you Jack Kirby’s life story—a tale much too complex for any single book anyway (although the guy who wrote the Foreword on the next page is working on proving me wrong about that). It’s more a retrospective of the 50-year career of a man I only met once for a few minutes, yet I feel like I know him well enough to be on a first-name basis. From my encounters with other Kirby fans, many feel the same way—even those who never actually met him. His work spoke to us, and continues to do so, in a way that transcends any personal encounter with the man himself. And as long as that work exists, the man’s always with us. This book (excuse me, magazine) is a celebration of that work, and I’m delighted to have the honor of putting on the party. So welcome, have a seat, and enjoy. Fifty years of Kirby magic is about to unfold! ★

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by Mark Evanier s I’ve said many a time, the only bad thing about The Jack Kirby Collector is that Kirby didn’t live to see it. And hey, I just thought of another one: Roz didn’t live to see enough of it. Other than that, it’s wonderful. Every time another issue arrives, those of us who miss Jack get to spend a little more time with him. No, it’s not as good as the real thing—or even the real Thing, which is kind of what Jack was at times—but it’s a whole lot better than no Kirby at all. I am happy (“Happy?” Try “ecstatic.”) to report that Jack Kirby has never been more popular, more recognized, more valued... ...or more reprinted. The way it’s going, it won’t be long before every major work of his, as well as a great many lesser ones, will be back in print. And not just in print, but usually in deluxe, well-printed “keeper” collections that we can all keep on our shelves and read any time we want a little dose of comics’ most vibrant, imaginative talent. This includes the Kirby output that at the time of its original publication was declared uncommercial or unsuccessful or just plain ungood. It may have been outta sync with the marketplace when it came out—Jack was always a bit ahead of his era—but it has endured. New readers find it and old readers find it again. I don’t know how much credit, if any, I should give to John Morrow’s wonderful publication for this endurance. I mean, the work is the work. People seek it out now for purchase because it speaks to them, energizes them, means the world to them. Understandably, it leads to questions about its creator. The day does not pass that I do not hear from people who want to know more about the amazing man who concocted all that amazing imagination. I’m so delighted with The Jack Kirby Collector that I usually forget about my own book and tell the inquirers to grab up every issue they can of the magazine. The interest in Jack has been thrilling to me and also a little stunning. A few years ago, I was amazed at how often I was hearing people say, “I’m so sorry I never got to meet Jack.” My first thought was, “How could you not meet Jack?” He was so available to his fans, so open and approachable. Go to any San Diego Comic-Con of his lifetime, save for the one he missed, and Unused cover you could meet Jack. for Eternals #7 He’d stand around all (January 1977). day and make himEternals TM & ©2008 self available to anyMarvel Characters, Inc. one who wanted to meet him... and I mean just that: He’d

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ou dash up the stairs to your best friend’s room and he proudly holds up a copy of Fantastic Four Annual #3—with a cover that shows an army of Jack and Stan’s characters in mind-boggling battle. You tentatively finger through a convention box of old books to discover a time-worn edition of Adventure Comics #78 depicting Manhunter, Sandman, and Sandy firing anti-aircraft guns aboard a carrier to meet an Axis air assault. You gingerly raise a copy of Daredevil #43 from the spinner rack sheath, and are pleasantly surprised to see a Kirby rendition of DD and Cap facing you. The King’s beautifully executed battle scenario of First Issue Special #1 compels you to trace Atlas the Great over and over again because it’s one of your favorite covers.

Top Vote Getter:

Noticing the compelling quality of a Kirby-designed cover that draws your immediate interest and makes you want to see more, not only shows favoritism but marks special moments on the timeline of your life. In Jack Kirby Collector #39, eighteen fans and/or collaborators searched their memory banks and produced their ideas on the topmost covers by the King. Here are more opinions by TwoMorrows’ regulars and comicdom’s top talents, and the fifty top vote getters in our survey. More terrific covers than we could possibly mention have also been done by many of the participants who contributed to this chapter, but we’d like to thank them all for sharing the memorable and sometimes magical moments in the timeline of their lives when they came across their favorite Jack Kirby covers.

MICHAEL T. GILBERT artist/comics historian/TwoMorrows contributor I finally decided on the cover to Fantastic Four #12, featuring the first battle between the Thing and the Hulk. Part of it is the fact that I was 12 when I discovered it (my golden age!). This and issue #11 were the first Fantastic Four comics I bought, and they hit me like a brick. Beyond that though, the cover is beautifully constructed. The action hasn’t happened yet, but in seconds... it will! The spooky, greytoned colors only add to the feeling of menace. As a long-time fan of Kirby’s monster comics, I loved the fact that these two heroes were both monsters themselves. It was like having the best of both worlds. And 40 years later, my opinion hasn’t changed!

Fantastic Four #12 (1963) chosen by Michael T. Gilbert, Mike Gartland, Chrissie Harper, and Steve Sherman

MIKE GARTLAND TJKC contributor Fantastic Four #12 appealed to me not just out of nostalgia, but because it’s an action cover without action. It’s a suspenseful cover, highlighting that fraction of a second before all hell breaks loose, not to mention the two main antagonists that fans wanted to see meet are front and center in all their Kirby grotesqueness. Sure, there are tons of Kirby covers and we all have a list, but you asked for my fave and that’s it.

CHRISSIE HARPER editor of Jack Kirby Quarterly They say never judge a book by its cover. Well, this is a great book, but what the cover depicts, inside, is a tiny panel that precedes a ‘battle royale’ lasting about five seconds. All told in very nicely drawn panels, granted, but the word anti-climax springs to mind. However, the cover itself rocks in the biggest possible way. The composition is genius and what it gives us isn’t a slug-fest or an explosion, but suspense and anticipation. 20

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Captain America Comics #1 (1941) chosen by Carmine Infantino

Captain America Comics #7 (1941) chosen by Bud Plant and Al Feldstein

Adventure Comics #76 (1942) chosen by R.J. Vitone

Adventure Comics #79 (1942) chosen by Roy Thomas 21

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ack Kirby was the most prolific artist in the history of comics, producing more stories, pages, sketches, layouts, covers, merchandising illustrations, and just plain art than anyone in the field. So it was only natural that he would wind up with a huge stockpile of material that ended up not getting used, for one reason or another. Over the course of fifty issues of The Jack Kirby Collector, I’ve had the luxury of enjoying a lot of Kirby’s unused art—so many pieces that it was quite a task to narrow it down to his fifty best examples and rank them. To make the task more manageable, I had to establish some basic criteria to go by:

1) I would consider any art that was not published in its original venue, time period, or as originally intended, even if it was eventually published later 2) Except for exceptional cases, I would give more weight to stories than to individual pieces 3) Where possible, I would group together pieces that served the same purpose or intent (otherwise, I’d end up with closer to fifty thousand pieces)! So here’s my best shot at it. You’d think that unused art would be the bottom-of-the-barrel stuff that no one would bother to look at. But as you scroll through this assemblage, you’ll find, more often than not, that Jack’s unused work could rival some of the best published work of anyone in comics. (The Gallery on page 45 presents larger examples.) The beauty of this list is, by the time it sees print, it’s likely I’d have to alter it. That’s the amazing, mysterious thing about Kirby; “new” unseen material seems to turn up when you least expect it, and never seems to run dry. That’s a pretty remarkable feat for an artist that stopped drawing in the early 1990s! But until I find Jack’s rejected sample pages for the first Spider-Man story, here’s my top choices:

Pulp Illos (1930s-1940s) Okay, so I violated my first criteria! But while these aren’t technically unpublished, they’re so obscure that few collectors have seen them, so they might as well be. There are great spot illos to be found in the pages of pulps like Marvel Tales from the late 1930s and ’40s, so seek them out.

Collages (1960s-1980s) While not everyone’s cup of tea, Jack made some amazingly complex works of art with only scissors, glue, and old magazines. He supposedly found it a relaxing diversion, and many of them ended up as backgrounds on key comics pages in the 1960s and ’70s. But you can’t fully appreciate their complexity until you’ve seen the originals in color. See page 104 in this volume for a beautiful full-color example.

“Astrals” (late 1970s) More prized for its scarcity than its actual story quality, this unused four-page promotional comic drawn for a Chicago radio station is an interesting oddity, and nicely inked by Bill Wray. (For the complete story, see The Jack Kirby Collector #16 or Collected Jack Kirby Collector Volume 4)

49 36

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47 What If? #10 female Thor cover (1978) John Buscema got the nod for the published version of this cover, but it was fun seeing Jack revisit a character he co-created, even in female form.

Convention sketches (1960s-1980s) Jack didn’t draw at conventions often, preferring to spend his time meeting and greeting fans. When he did sketch, it was often at a “Chalk Talk” session, on stage in front of a crowd. So while these are usually by nature pretty loose, there are some gems to be found.

Commissioned Sketches (1970s-1980s) These were a nice supplement to Jack and Roz’s income throughout the 1970s and ’80s, keeping him busy as his comics work waned. With plenty of time to work on each drawing, these are often remarkable pieces, even if they sometimes lack some of Jack’s more spontaneous linework—perhaps due to laboring over them a little too much.

Thing Alter Ego sketch (1962) A telling, historically significant pencil drawing done for Jerry Bails, showing what Jack’s Thing character looked like at this early stage of the Fantastic Four’s career, before an inker altered the work, and the character had evolved toward its current “rocky” look. An inked version of this pencil drawing first appeared in Jerry’s 1962 mimeographed Alter Ego #4 fanzine, but didn’t appear in its original pencil form until Jack Kirby Collector #9.

Pin-ups (various years) There’ve been several of these over the years, which ended up as posters or were meant for fanzines or portfolios. All are worth a look, and the ones that appeared in 1971’s Kirby Unleashed and 1979’s Masterworks portfolio are especially nice. (TwoMorrows Publishing currently has a remastered version of Kirby Unleashed available.)

Toys for Tots unused poster art (1968) Created for the U.S. Marine Corp’s toy drive, Jack went through at least three versions before the final one was approved. They all look good to us! (For more examples, see Jack Kirby Collector #18 and #27.)

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resented here are 50 pages of Kirby art, taken from the Kirby Estate Xerox Archives, representing many of Kirby’s best stories and unused art as chosen in this book. Shown are both pencil versions of published comics pages, and inked versions of unused pages and stories. The image quality varies from stats (which reproduce Kirby’s pencil quality very faithfully) to “thermal fax” copies (Kirby had this now outdated type of copier in his home starting in the early 1970s, long before copiers were commonplace), but all serve as a remarkable historical record of unseen work, and what Kirby’s art looked like before it was inked.

BEST STORIES EXAMPLES (presented here in chronological order from choices in the section beginning on page 11, showing the evolution of Kirby’s art style from the 1960s-1980s): (page 47) Tales of Suspense #93, page 8, pencil (1967) This crisp photostat image serves as a good benchmark for Jack’s level of penciling quality during his 1960s peak. (page 48) New Gods #6, page 5, pencil (1971) Kirby hits his storytelling stride during the Fourth World saga. (page 49) Forever People #6, page 11, pencil (1971) Energy and vitality surge throughout these pencils; even his handwriting is energetic. (page 50) Demon #1, unused page, pencil (1972) During this unused introductory sequence, note how the macabre character draws closer to the reader in each successive panel. (page 51) Kamandi #1, page 8, pencil (1972) A rough and tumble action page. (page 52) Mister Miracle #7, page 17, pencil (1972) The title character is caught up in a high-tech version of the ways of the old West. (page 53) Mister Miracle #8, page 4, pencil (1972) Kirby (literally!) brings strong female characters to comics in the 1970s. (page 54) New Gods #8, page 16, pencil (1972) You can feel the tension as these characters struggle in battle. (page 55) Weird Mystery Tales #2, page 10, pencil (1972) This story was actually drawn in 1971 (for the never-published Spirit World #2), but didn’t see print until 1972. (page 56) Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #147, page 7, pencil (1972) Superman’s last Kirby-drawn connection to the Fourth World, as he finally travels to New Genesis through a Boom Tube. (page 57) Kamandi #9, page 14, pencil (1973) A frightening example of Kirby’s penchant for large-headed protagonists. (page 58) OMAC #1, page 4 (1974) Disturbing imagery, and a message that still applies over three decades later. (page 59) Our Fighting Forces #157, page 4, pencil (1975) The captivating Panama Fattie shows her stuff! (page 60) Our Fighting Forces #159, page 13, pencil (1975) Drama ensues as World War II rivals race for the ultimate finish line. (page 61) Captain America #195, page 1, pencil (1976) Part of the year-long “Madbomb” saga, which Jack launched upon his return to Marvel Comics. (page 62) 2001: A Space Odyssey #6, cover, pencil (1977) “Everyman” Harvey Norton meets the aliens in this striking cover image. (page 63) 2001: A Space Odyssey #8, page 17, pencil (1977) Mr. Machine/Machine Man is born, courtesy of the Monolith. (page 64) Captain America #212, page 15, pencil (1977) Two old adversaries in their final Kirby-drawn conflict. (page 65) Eternals #8, page 17, pencil (1977) Kirby leaves you asking which is the true monster in this battle.

posing as the Thing). (page 68) Satan’s Six #1, page 3, pencil (1979) The actual date this partially finished story was drawn isn’t certain, but we assume it was soon after he left Marvel Comics for good. Terry Austin inked this page when it was finally published in 1993 by Topps Comics. (page 69) Thundarr The Barbarian newspaper samples, pencil (1980) Kirby drew two weeks’ worth of dailies and Sundays, to be scripted by Steve Gerber. Shown here are strips 5-9. (page 70) Captain Victory #2, page 6, pencil (1981) The first two issues of Captain Victory were drawn as one Graphic Novel circa 1978, and finally published in 1981; as Kirby drew new pages for #3 in 1982, you can see a marked drop in his penciling quality from the four-year hiatus. (page 71) Roxie’s Raiders #1, page 7, pencil (1982) Kirby and writer Steve Gerber attempted to turn this animation concept into an ongoing comic book series, but work never progressed beyond the first issue. (page 72) Captain Victory #7, page 7, pencil (1982) Still solid penciling, and interesting character design. (page 73) Destroyer Duck #1, page 17, pencil (1982) Action, action, action (even though it involves a duck...) (page 74) Silver Star #1, page 12, pencil (1983) Lovely penciling, possibly done well before the publication date. (page 75) Super Powers #5, page 12, pencil (1984) It’s not every day you see Kirby drawing Batman and Robin; enjoy! (page 76) New Gods reprint series #6, page 39, pencil (1984) This prequel to the Hunger Dogs Graphic Novel was actually drawn after his 1983 work on the core story that made up the bulk of the GN, but health problems in the interim caused a decline in Kirby’s penciling. (page 77) Super Powers II #2, page 9, pencil (1986) A last hurrah, as Kirby pencils characters he’d rarely drawn before.

BEST UNUSED ART EXAMPLES (presented here in descending order from the survey on pages 35-44): (page 78) Captain America & Bucky commission drawing, pencil (1978) (page 79) Toys For Tots unused poster art, pencil (1968) (page 80) Mister Miracle #10, unused cover, pencil (1972) (page 81) Fantastic Four animated series storyboards, pencil (1978) (page 82) Tales of Suspense #70, page 9, pencil layouts (1965) Kirby not only sets the artistic tone, he directs the story with his margin notes. (page 83) Death Fingers/Dingbats of Danger Street concept art, pencil (1975) (page 84) Sandman #7, page 1, pencil (1976) (page 85) Soul Love #1, cover, pencil and wash (1971) (page 86) Dingbats of Danger Street #2, page 14, ink (by Mike Royer) (1975) (page 87) Stuntman #3, “Panda” story, page 10, ink (by Simon & Kirby) (1946) (page 88) Fantastic Four #102/108, page 1, pencil (1970) (page 89) True Divorce Cases #1, page 17, “The Twin”, pencil (1971) (page 90) In The Days Of The Mob #2, page 34, pencil (1971) (page 91) Boy Explorers #2, page 8, ink (by Simon & Kirby) (1946) (page 92) Black Tiger animation concept, pencil (1981) (page 93) Hulk #5, unused page, pencil (1962) (page 94) Fantastic Four #49, page 1, pencil (1966)

OTHER EXAMPLES

(page 66) Silver Surfer Graphic Novel, page 90, pencil (1978) A poignant parting in this beautifully rendered page.

(page 95) Fantastic Four #75, page 4, pencil (1968) Galactus never looked more imposing. A great example of the full-pagers that populated Kirby’s late 1960s work. From the Kirby Pencil Xerox Archives.

(page 67) What If? #11, page 31, pencil (1978) One last look back at the glory days of 1960s Marvel, as Jack draws the Fantastic Four (here, as members of the Marvel Bullpen, with Jack himself

(page 96) Superman personal drawing, pencil (1984) Thanks to Jack’s daughter Lisa Kirby for sharing this personal image for this book’s cover, and to Darwyn Cooke for his superb inking and coloring of it. ★

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riginally, the prospect of coming up with Jack’s 50 best character designs for this celebratory volume sounded exciting. But doing some research— because I certainly didn’t want to exclude anyone due to a poor memory—I found a listing of characters Jack created for Marvel. (Special thanks to the guys at MarvUnApp.com) Not the ones everybody knows, like the Fantastic Four and the X-Men, but the ones who wouldn’t warrant a footnote anywhere but in the most devoted and meticulous of fan web sites. Finding that list was invaluable, but it also scared the crud out of me since it listed over 600 named characters Jack created—for Marvel alone! And, like I said, that doesn’t include the ones you already know about. Needless to say, with that much output, there’s a fair chance I’ve overlooked some potentially incredible designs, but rest assured that I made an active effort to at least look at all the periods of Jack’s work. As they say, every character is somebody’s favorite, so feel free to add your two cents if you think I’ve skipped over your favorite Kirby creation. It may or may not have been intentional! With that short intro done, on to Jack Kirby’s 50 best character designs:

Giganto, Mole Man’s Monster. I’m starting off the list with one of Jack’s classic images, the cover to Fantastic Four #1. I have to admit that I’m not overly partial to the creature’s design per se, but the cover itself is iconic in nearly every sense of the word, and much of that has to do with the monster clearly depicted in the center of it. I figure that warrants inclusion in the list in some capacity, but that’s why he gets relegated to the end of it. For the record, this creature was not named Giganto until Avengers West Coast #54, long after that name had already been established for another giant monster that also fought the Fantastic Four. First appearance: Fantastic Four #1 (November 1961).

50.

Goozlebobber. Definitely one of Jack’s weird and wacky ideas, this guy I’ve got to include just for sheer inventiveness, even if the concepts and designs themselves are… unusual. (Don’t worry, folks! The designs get more and more impressive as we go through this list.) First appearance: Captain Victory #4 (May 1982).

49.

Impossible Man. Impy here falls somewhat in the same class as Goozlebobber; it’s just too inventive to not mention. That said, though, I’m somewhat reluctant to list him because of a decidedly unproven theory I have about his inception. But that’s a column by itself that I’ll save for the future! First appearance: Fantastic Four #11 (February 1963).

48.

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Orion. I have to admit to having problems placing Orion on the list. Jack’s initial drawing of him is spectacular, but I find that has more to do with his Astro-Harness than anything else. And while that is an accessory unique to Orion, he doesn’t always wear it. The spandex and spiked helmet don’t really seem to work nearly as well visually without the Astro-Harness so, while I see why Jack designed the character the way he did—that original design is very slick—the practical upshot of it in the storytelling leaves the character looking a little too visually top-heavy much of the time. First appearance: New Gods #1 (February 1971).

47.

Giganto, Sub-Mariner’s Mutant Whale. This Giganto I think is one of Jack’s more wellexecuted monster designs. It’s most easily described as an anthropomorphic whale, but the actual implementation works much better than it should. A whale’s natural body shape is decidedly not conducive to walking upright, but Jack was able to make this look surprisingly natural. First appearance: Fantastic Four #4 (May 1962).

46.

Metron. A character that really could only have been created by Jack, incorporating oversized computer circuits into a chest and headpiece design, naturally suggesting the character’s prime motivator: knowledge. Like Orion, Metron is frequently associated with a large piece of equipment: his Mobius Chair. I think that he visually integrates with it very well, but loses much of his impact without it. First appearance: New Gods #1 (February 1971).

45.

Prester John. As much as Metron is a character that had to come from Jack, Prester John is, too, in his own way, bearing no real similarities to most traditional images of the character. Flowing, fur-lined robes and a completely impractical helmet, and it somehow still works. I might have to do an “Incidental Iconography” on him just to give myself an excuse to research where that helmet design came from! First appearance: Fantastic Four #54 (September 1966).

44.

Thing, circa 1961. Ben Grimm is one of the characters most closely identified with Jack, but his earliest appearances belie that connection by portraying the Thing as a monstrous lump. Despite Dick Ayers claiming to have difficulty in figuring out how to ink Jack’s early Thing, the pile of somewhat amorphous rock is an interesting interpretation of a Jewish golem, minus the obvious inscription needed to traditionally activate one. Joe Sinnott helped refine the character’s look significantly once he began regularly inking Fantastic Four, and it’s noteworthy that Jack changed how he drew the character based on Sinnott’s inks. First appearance: Fantastic Four #1 (November 1961).

43.

Jemiah the Analyzer. The Celestials on the whole are pretty cool designs overall—not unlike the living machine approach Jack took with Galactus. I’ve singled out Jemiah specifically because he strikes me as the quintessential Celestial from a visual perspective: vaguely human, but lots of funky Kirby-ness to look strange and menacing. First appearance: Eternals #7 (January 1977).

42.

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who confront their hidden selves and work to find the best way to express that. Kirby did it with comic books and we’re all the better for it. Even though the comic book medium is still very much in the ghetto, I’m not sure it would even exist today if not for Jack Kirby.

ack Kirby—he’s not for everybody, but everybody seems to have taken something from him. And not just everybody in comics. The “King” not only set the terms by which all comics afterward would be defined, but foresaw how a number of other artforms would evolve, from ambitious architecture to extreme fashion to blockbuster cinematic special effects. He also tapped classic roots of storytelling that run so deep many creators miss them, and which later artists in all media have followed to heights and complexities even he couldn’t imagine. On the following pages creators and thinkers from the worlds of comics, animation, design, prose literature, academia, criticism, gallery art, music and theatre describe how all their efforts connect in Kirby’s universe.

One source of this kind of storytelling, since we’re speaking cosmically, could of course be faith. Kirby was very conscious of his Jewish identity and you’re well into a graphic Book of Mormon—though only those who know this might see it in his work and your other stuff. And for some people their beliefs give them a cosmic perspective while for others it makes them hold off on questions or interpretations beyond their own holy text, so the two interests could be completely separate, but… are they?

Michael Allred is comics’ king of neo-pop, channeling the graphic simplicity and dynamic cheer of midcentury Kirby-hero and teen-romance comics through cosmic rays of contemporary sensibility on books like the media satire X-Statix at Marvel (with writer Peter Milligan) and Allred’s own The Atomics. He also is to inner space what Kirby was to galactic travel, with mindbendng compositions and metaphysical quests in Allred masterworks like Red Rocket 7 and Madman (not to mention handling heaven itself in his ongoing graphic adaptation of the Book of Mormon, The Golden Plates).

We all have our filters. Me, I’m always fascinated with what makes someone tick, what they believe and why. Or why someone lacks any intellectual curiosity. What makes our differences so... different. You could take any song, movie, book, etc., and it will have a personal impact on you through your own perspective or mood. If you make a study of the artist, you lose that personal interpretation as you see the inner workings of the artist. This can be disillusioning, or enlightening. I’m often torn between taking creative things at face value, and the mad urge to look behind the curtain.

You’ve built the dynamic scale and manic energy of Kirby into your compositions, yet your work has the innocence and specific human detail more common to comics from between the Golden and Silver Ages—did you feel those looks could use a little of each other, or is it just more of an intuitive mix that suits your personality?

I’d love to declare my genius, but honestly, it would have to be more intuitive. There have been phases in my work where I’ve intentionally, consciously, tried to bring my influences more forcefully to the surface—mostly because I didn’t think I even had a style of my own. I look back on those efforts now and shudder a little. When I’ve just relaxed and drawn with the love of drawing and telling stories, I’ve done my best work. And I acknowledge that my work, my style, is most definitely the sum of my influences mixed in with what uniqueness I bring to the party. Everyone stands on the shoulders of those who came before. It just so happens that I feel at home getting that boost from Jack Kirby. He created a language that I can understand and get excited about. And it took him decades to define it for himself as well. Kirby’s known as the definitive special-effects artist in comics, but in all his best cosmic ’n’ quantum epics people encounter all these spectacular secrets of the universe, but really end up confronting their hidden selves—did any of that dynamic find its way into the spiritual odyssey of Madman Atomic Comics, or is it from other sources?

I think that it’s all part of being a progressive artist. You have to ask the big questions. Kirby always asked the big questions. And as big and cosmic as all existence is, it ultimately has to come back to the self. Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? Do I have a purpose? Am I all there is? Is everything around me a detailed figment of my imagination? Is the greatest path to happiness serving others? It all begins and ends with the individual. The greatest art comes from the musician, the filmmaker, the painter, the sculptor, the writer, the illustrator, 116

Jean-Marie Arnon (www.arnon.fr) is a gifted sculptor and visual artist in France who produces vivid works based on prehistory, and memorable graphic albums and stories evoking comics creators’ common ancestor, Kirby. With the passing of time, it becomes more and more clear that Jack Kirby’s art is a huge monolith in the field of 20th century popular culture. Here are my personal Top Five aspects of his work, which explain why he still is a big influence on me (and I guess a few thousand others): 1. Cosmic Landscapes & Alien Technology

Think about it. It’s somehow frustrating to realize that the cosmic visions depicted in Kirby’s ’70s work such as 2001 or Eternals seem more alien and futuristic than anything done today, which mostly looks like ersatz Star Wars (which was ersatz Kirby anyway). 2. Primitive Life Forms & Prehistoric Tribes

Being born in the southwest of France, which is maybe the most important place for prehistoric sites in the world, I’m a fool for anything prehistoric. I was always excited to discover, lost somewhere in a corner of a Kirby story, a picture of prehistoric people or animals (and it happens quiet frequently). Of course, nowadays we know that prehistoric men didn’t look like that, but the feeling of savagery, primitive urge and sheer bestial brutality expressed in these Kirby drawings makes it work in a curious and iconic way, typical of his art. More real than the real thing, in short.

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3. Sensual Women

The sensuality of Kirby’s drawings has never been praised enough. For example, take the Young Romance story from the ’40s, done with Joe Simon, entitled “The Girl Who Tempted Me”. All the pages are literally dripping with eroticism. Female sensuality is shown as a primordial force, perturbing and transforming the characters’ lives beyond moral boundaries, beyond good and evil. Look at the girl dancing, the voluptuous hair, the curves… let’s move on to the next subject. 4. The Bodies in the Crowd

Kirby was a great crowd-drawer. Take most of today’s comics: there are no crowds, or they are at least very abstractly and hastily drawn. Today’s artists seem to have forgotten how the human background is important. Be it in a fight, a party or a disaster, Kirby’s crowds are very accurately drawn. The bodies’ attitudes are precise and there are lots of details, which reinforces the impact of a scene and the credibility of a story. The Devil is in the details, but not here. 5. The Aesthetics of Deflagration

You’ve probably noticed Kirby’s rubble, veritable works of abstract art bursting in every direction in his characters’ rumbles. The drama of this terrible destruction, as if real buildings (and their inhabitants) were annihilated, is given a greater impact and pathos from an artist who experienced WWII’s bombed battlefields. Nevertheless, in the end, they look like a healthy surge of energy! Fun and drama at the same time—quite disturbing, isn’t it? This visual trait proved sufficiently entertaining and dynamic to be swiped by the ’90s’ major blockbusters, throwing blocks of rocks at a protesting Bruce Willis with endless effects. Needless to say, it has inspired me too!

Photo: Silvia Acosta-Bendian

Jack Kirby, Composer

Composer/percussionist Gregg Bendian (www.greggbendian.com) is widely known for his innovative work in the arenas of jazz, classical, and rock music. He has collaborated with some of the strongest personalities in contemporary music including Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, Pat Metheny and John Zorn. Gregg leads the ensembles Interzone (with whom he recorded Requiem for Jack Kirby), Trio Pianissimo and The Mahavishnu Project, and is featured in the book Percussion Profiles: Interviews, Articles & Discographies of 25 of the World’s Most Creative Percussionists.

Ever since my early childhood, the world of the imagination has been my preferred locus of residence. As a pre-teen living inside the vibrant 1970s, I was torn between ambitions of becoming a musician, a superhero, or a comic book artist. I spent long hours working at all three, but in the end it became obvious to me that I had little talent for drawing and no measurable superpowers, so ultimately musical talent won out. However my love of comic art continued and without a doubt the biggest inspiration for me both as an artist and yes, as a musician, would be the great Jack Kirby. I think that Jack Kirby would have made an amazing musician. He certainly possessed the vision, work ethic and “can-do” attitude of what I call “The Rugged American Individualist Composer.” Jack had much in common with self-made New York geniuses like Charles Ives or Edgard Varese, men who nearly singlehandedly gave birth to Modern American Classical Music in the 1920s and ’30s—much the same way Jack gave birth to the world of comic books around the same time. As well, Jack’s groundbreaking, adventurous work at Marvel rivaled that of a Modern Jazz-man, hitting right within the same time period—the early 1960s. Surely Jack’s fluid technique; his timing; his use of color

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